


Winterlude

by ThatBohoFemme



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: (but only slightly), Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, F/F, Holidays, Kid Fic, Making Up, Post-Divorce, Pregnancy Loss Mentioned, Unconventional Families
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 13:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21969835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: Bex.Charlotte hadn't called her that since before the divorce.It takes her back to a simpler time when everything was right and she didn't have to spend Christmas in a mini van."Anything for you, Charlie." The name slips out before Becky can stop herself. "Besides, Bellissimo's as good a holiday date as any. We've got a date with some eggnog and setting up for Santa at the nearest Red Rooster.""About that..." Charlotte hesitates. "Daddy's going to ask you to stay."
Relationships: Charlotte/Becky Lynch | Rebecca Knox
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Winterlude

**Author's Note:**

> I'm only 40 minutes late in posting this. Don't ask me where this came from but I enjoyed writing immensely. 
> 
> Title comes from a Bob Dylan song. Pregnancy loss is mentioned towards the end but it's just in passing. 
> 
> Happy Holidays!

"Mummy, do we _have_ to go see Grandpa?" 

Becky tightens her grip on the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turn white. She barely liked Christmas _before_ the divorce. They'd always gone out of their way to make the day special for the girls- weird traditions, special movies, anything to avoid Charlotte's family. 

Now, she does her best just to survive the holiday. 

"Grandpa wants to see you and Mikey." Becky knows she can go into the messy details (it's technically my holiday, but Mommy begged me to switch) but that's not fair to Charlotte. Becky _tries_ to never be that parent. It makes more sense to keep it short and simple. 

There are a million places she'd rather be than stuck in a mini-van on a stopped freeway with a cranky 6-year-old, a sullen 11-year-old and a gassy corgi, hungrily eyeing the (slightly) burnt Sara Lee apple pie just out of his reach. 

Yet, here she is, doing just that. 

"Fineeee," Ellie whines, kicking the back of the passenger seat. Bellissimo lets out a shrill bark- almost like a toddler tattling on a naughty sibling. "I just wanna watch _A Charlie Brown Christmas_!"

"Bellissimo Maximus Flair- stop it!" Becky scolds, releasing one hand from the steering wheel. She wags her finger in the dog's face, as he grumbles and settles back down in his carrier. "Sorry, Kiddo. Grandpa's house or bust!"

A sad hiccup catches in her throat. They haven't watched that movie since the year before the divorce. Ellie couldn't have been more than 2 and a half, and yet, she still remembers.

"Yeah, El. We have to go see Grandpa." Michaela mumbles, heaving an exasperated sigh. 

"Mikey, be nice." Becky narrows her gaze, glaring at her oldest daughter through the rear view mirror. She knows this is worse on Michaela, who is _definitely_ old enough to remember their weird traditions. "It's just dessert, a sleepover and brunch. You'll live." 

"Fine, Mummy." Michaela pops her air pod back in, as she stares at the iphone in her lap. 

"Mummy..." Ellie's voice comes out in a shrill whine. 

Becky purses her lips, doing her best not to appear _too_ annoyed. She knows that voice. Ellie doesn't even need to say anymore. 

_Get me to a bathroom right now or it won't be pretty._

"Hold it, Eleanor." Becky flips her blinker on, hoping some kind soul will let her over to the exit lane. "You're lucky. We're close." 

They're so close to the gas station that Becky can see it from the freeway. All she needs is one person to let her over, and they'll be there in minutes. 

"I'm trying!" Ellie's voice grows shriller. "Mummy!" 

"Can't drive us over traffic!" Becky exclaims, as someone takes pity on her, allowing her to switch lanes. "Just hold it- the gas station is right there." 

She's at the exit in under five minutes. 

It's a Christmas miracle. 

"Mikey!" Becky reaches behind her seat, snapping her fingers in front of Michaela's face. She can't leave her kid and dog in the car- some kind person will call the police. She's got to rely on Michaela. 

"Yeah?" 

"Take your sister to the bathroom and _hurry_." Becky jerks the mini-van into the first available space. "Don't dwaddle. Get her there." 

Holding her breath, she watches Michaela grab Ellie by the wrist and run her inside. This might just work out for them- and if it doesn't... Becky _thinks_ she has an extra change of clothes for someone. 

Her phone buzzes, pulling her out of thought. A quick glance to her center display tells her it's Charlotte.

"Can I help you?" Out of the corner of her eye, she watches Bellissimo crawl towards the pie, as he makes another attempt to eat it. "Bellissimo Maximus Flair, unless you want to become a corgi skin belt for your other mother, you will back away from the pie." 

"Having fun?" Charlotte's clearly holding back a laugh. 

"I'm parked at a gas station off 97C, waiting for your children to come back, and hoping someone doesn't need new pants." 

"Ellie?" 

"Yep, and this gas station has _Hills Have Eyes_ written all over it." Becky runs her hand down Bellissimo's spine, as she fixes her gaze on the gas station entrance. 

"You're... what... 40 minutes away?" 

"Pretty much." Becky's been stuck in the mini van for the last four hours. Their Christmas 'lunch' had been cold spicy peanut noodle salad eaten at a rest stop, with Becky promising Santa would visit _The Red Rooster_ on Boxing Day. 

"No rush. Thanks again, Bex. This means a lot to me." 

_Bex._ Charlotte hadn't called her that since before the divorce. 

It takes her back to a simpler time when everything was right and she didn't have to spend Christmas in a mini van.

"Anything for you, Charlie." The name slips out before Becky can stop herself. "Besides, Bellissimo's as good a holiday date as any. We've got a date with some eggnog and setting up for Santa at the nearest Red Rooster." 

"About that..." Charlotte hesitates. "Daddy's going to ask you to stay." 

Becky's spine stiffens. One of the only perks of the divorce had been avoiding the holidays with Charlotte's family...and yet, they were prepared to suck her back in. 

"You don't have to but I'd make it worth your while." 

"Hope your dad doesn't mind gas station wine." The last thing she wants is to take Bellissimo into the gas station and find something to bring her ex-father-in-law but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

"Bring him some MD 20/20. He'll love you more than he already does."  
\---  
"Freedom!" Ellie squeals as the mini-van rolls to a stop. "I didn't think we'd ever get here." 

"Well, let's go see Grandpa." Becky glances over her shoulder, her gaze shifting between the girls. "Mikey, take the pie. I'll take Bellissimo on a potty break and be in shortly." 

She holds her breath as the girls run towards the front door. As she exhales, she lets her forehead rest against the steering wheel and lets the moment take over. 

This is the last place she wants to be. 

She hadn't liked spending the holidays with Charlotte's family _before_ the divorce. They were rigidly traditional, and that never seemed to sit well with Becky. 

Besides, Becky makes it a point to stay as far away from Charlotte as she possibly can. 

It's not due to animosity. That couldn't be further from the truth. Hell- Becky still loved Charlotte. She thought Charlotte felt the same. They just hadn't been able to make it work- especially once it became clear there would never be a third baby. 

"Take your time, B." Becky sets the corgi on the gravel driveway, his lead handle loosely around her wrist. She tucks her purse tightly against her side, as the glass bottle sways. It's extremely tempting to just drink it herself but that would never do. 

She can't do that to Charlotte. 

"Look who finally made it! What happened to forty minutes?" 

Becky turns in the direction of the voice. Charlotte's come out to greet her- the red and white holiday sweater somehow seeming _legitimate_ on her. 

"Traffic. Another bathroom break. Thinking we should change Ellie's name to Fish with as much as she drinks." Becky plants her hand on her hip, as Charlotte pulls her into an awkward embrace. "Please tell me you have wine." 

"I come prepared." Charlotte holds out the red solo cup, eager for Becky to take it. "I might have stolen some of it but it's ready for you." 

Becky nods, taking the cup from Charlotte. She squeezes her eyes shut, and downs half of the sweet wine in a single gulp. She doesn't normally drink like this but then again, it's been a day from Hell. 

"Maybe we should change your name to Fish." Charlotte runs her hand through her loose bun. "No, seriously, Bex. I owe you. This means a lot." 

"How are you getting home?" 

"Um..." Charlotte tilts her head back as she searches the sky. "Flying on the 29th." 

"Nope." Becky crosses her arms over her chest and narrows her gaze. "Driving back with us. Not making this trip alone again." 

"I love it when you're forceful." Charlotte laughs again. "Come on. Daddy can't wait to see you." 

Becky's not sure how she gets through the next few hours. There are about a dozen more people than the house should comfortably hold. She's not usually claustrophobic and yet, tonight, she can't get enough space. 

"Alan- I need to just check in with Bex!" Charlotte wraps an arm around Becky's shoulders, leading her away from an overeager cousin. "The dog's not acting right..." 

"What's wrong with Bells?" Becky's gaze drops to the floor, as she scans the area for the dog. "Your dad loved the bum wine and..." 

"Hush." Charlotte presses a finger to Becky's lips as she leads her to a side door. "Just hush." 

Becky nods, finding herself at a loss for words. The wine's got her nostalgic for the good old days when it was just her and Charlotte, trying to make it work with their daughters close by.

"In here." Charlotte steps through the door, pulling Becky by the arm. "My private sanctuary." 

A gasp catches in Becky's throat, as she takes in the screened in porch. There's a three foot aluminum Christmas tree in one corner. Piles of presents rest underneath it. She nods, realizing it's the same paper she used for the girls. 

"You stole our presents!" Becky gives Charlotte a look of faux outrage. "I was going to give those to the girls at the Red Rooster." 

"Well, I figured you'd like this better." Charlotte reaches behind her, fiddling with the door. It takes Becky a second to realize they're locked in. "Besides, Daddy's not going to let you leave with the way you've been drinking."

"I wouldn't be drunk if it weren't for Uncle Steve and Cousin Alan. Everyone wants to know why I've finally rejoined them- I'm like the Prodigal Son!" Becky throws her arms in the air, as she begins to pace. "I told them that I didn't think it was right to deprive Ellie and Mikey of Christmas but... not telling the truth. I can't tell them the truth." 

"What's that?" Charlotte sinks into a beige rattan sofa. "Also- you're sleeping in here with me tonight. The couch pulls out." 

"I'm not okay with that, but I guess I'm lucky there's room at the inn." Becky's head sinks into her hands as she pauses her pacing. "I just...where's the dog?" 

"Bellissimo's fine." Charlotte nods at a different corner. Becky follows the look, noticing Bellissimo snoozing away in a wicker basket. Someone (probably Charlotte)'s taken the care to tuck a fleece throw around him, careful to ward off the chilly room. "He's full of prime rib, had a nice walk around the grounds and treated with all the love you would have given him." 

"Good." Becky stops, sitting on the cold stone floor. She knows she can sit next to Charlotte but she doesn't want to. She's too full of emotions that make no sense. "Now- where was I?" 

"You can't tell my family the truth about why you've come back." Drumming a nervous rhythm on her denim clad thigh, Charlotte sighs. "Why's that? I mean- I know why you're here. I asked you to come." 

"It's not that." Tears flood Becky's eyes but she refuses to cry. There's a time and place for that. This is neither. They'll be plenty of time for that next week when she's home alone. "Well, it is that but also..." 

"Bex." Charlotte slides to the floor, and scoots closer to Becky's prone form. "Talk to me. If you can't tell me, who can you tell?" 

"Bellissimo." This isn't a lie. That dog has all of Becky's dark secrets, because he's the one creature guaranteed not to tell. "I tell him everything- isn't that why you gave him to me?" 

"I gave him to you because I wanted to see you smile again." Charlotte reaches over, grabbing Becky's hand. "You were so sad after everything, and I wanted to see you smile." 

Becky nods, resisting the urge to pull away. That had been a very dark period in her life. She still isn't sure how she survived it. Then again, Charlotte had been by her side through every bitter moment. 

"You were my rock." The tears slip down her cheeks, but Becky doesn't care. These are the words that need to be said. They've needed to be said for a very long time, and she's always just ignored them. "We wanted that third baby- even though our girls were perfect. I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact you might blame me for _everything_." 

"Bex." Like any good mother, Charlotte produces a Kleenex travel pack seemingly out of nowhere and dabs at Becky's tears. "I never blamed you for the miscarriages. I know you tried everything- I tried too. I just assumed it wasn't meant to be." 

Becky nods, resting her head on Charlotte's shoulder. This is the closest they've been in a very long time and yet, Becky doesn't care. This is everything she needs.

"I miss us." The sentence lingers in the air. It's the one thing Becky hasn't dared to say in the almost five years since the divorce. "I miss our holidays. I miss raising the girls together- coparenting is great but..." She hiccups, hoping she doesn't look as miserable as she feels. "I want us again." 

"It's not the same." Charlotte pulls away, and holds Becky's face between her palms. "I can't guarantee we're going to be able to do this. I _want_ to make it work but there isn't a magic pill." 

Becky nods. 

"Now, can I kiss you?" Charlotte laughs, blinking her own tears away. "I could try to find some mistletoe but can't guarantee I won't come back with some Lularoe leggings and a new life insurance policy." 

"Yes. Please kiss away." Becky laughs- the first time she's genuinely felt anything other than sheer misery all day. "I love you, Charlie." 

Charlotte brings her lips close to Becky's ear. "I love you too." 

Then, she gives Becky the lightest kiss she can. 

"Merry Christmas."  
\---  
"Mummy- did Santa _really_ come?" Ellie's delighted shrieks fill the air. "You told us he was coming to the Red Rooster- not Grandpa's house!" 

"What?" Becky sits straight up, doing her best to ignore the loose mattress spring jabbing at her hip. "Shh, Eleanor. You'll wake the house, and we all know Granddad's not presentable until his fourth cup of coffee." 

"Look!" Ellie shrieks again, as she lands half on Charlotte and half on Becky. "Wait! You're sleeping with Mommy?!" 

"Eleanor Louise, shhh." Charlotte sits up, wrapping an arm around Ellie's waist. Becky gazes in awed amusement, as Charlotte pulls their youngest daughter between them. "Yes, Santa came but you'll need to wait for Mikey to wake up." 

"But Mommy!" Ellie shoots her mothers a wounded look. "Santa Claus came to Grandpa's house! I expected him at The Red Rooster! And Mikey's in the bathroom- she told me where you were and told me she'd be right in." 

Becky leans up, exchanging a look with Charlotte. This isn't the Christmas they had imagined but then again- nothing about this holiday had been normal. 

"Come on." Charlotte wraps a threadbare quilt around Ellie's shoulders. "I suppose we can get started. Please just be quiet." 

"It's 4:50 in the morning!" Becky holds up her phone, showing off the display. "Can't we sleep a little more?" 

"No one told you to drink all the wine," Charlotte whispers, her lips grazing Becky's ear. "I'm off to get coffee and water. Tylenol?" 

"Please." Becky reaches up, massaging her temples. She hasn't been hungover in ages. This isn't going to ruin what's left of their unconventional holiday. 

"How'd Santa know you weren't at The Red Rooster?" Ellie asks, gazing over her shoulder. "You told me he was going there!" 

"Radar." Becky shrugs, as she sits in front of the tree. "He's magic, Ellie. He just finds you." 

"Smooth, Mummy." Michaela stops in the doorway. "Santa's magic radar. Rudolph's nose has radar." 

"Come on, Mikey." Becky pats the floor beside her. "Enjoy the holiday before Granddad wakes up and we have blueberry pancakes." 

"I'm allergic to blueberries." Michaela pauses, as Becky wraps a quilt around her shoulders. "Merry Christmas, Mummy." 

Charlotte appears, brandishing two mugs of coffee, a bottle of water and a bottle of Tylenol. "Now, let's get Mummy properly caffeinated, and open some presents." 

Becky sinks into the black coffee, as Charlotte begins dividing up the gifts. This is the first holiday they've spent together since the divorce, and yet, it feels almost right. 

"And what's this?" Charlotte hands a small package to Becky. "I guess Santa suspected you wouldn't be at the Red Rooster." 

Becky accepts the gift, noticing Charlotte's loopy scrawl on the paper. "Why, Santa, you shouldn't have." 

"So, we're going to let Mummy open her gift first and then, you two can have at it." Charlotte nods, watching intently as Becky opens the box. 

"Wow." Becky's speechless as she takes in the sight of the simple diamond crusted rainbow hanging off a delicate gold chain. "How did Santa know what I wanted?" 

"Lucky guess," Charlotte muses. 

Becky squeezes her eyes shut, as her mind drifts to the dark place and the one sentence Charlotte gave her that actually helped. 

_When the clouds part, look for the beauty after the storm._

Becky takes this as a sign that they're on the right path. 

-fin-


End file.
